


Interlude

by katling



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Post-Trespasser, So spoilers obviously, mention of dagna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-09-09
Packaged: 2018-04-19 22:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4762802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katling/pseuds/katling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not all plans go quickly and when you have to wait, you might as well wait with your lover. Besides, Joshel has a surprise for Dorian.</p>
<p>Post-Trespasser featuring my Dalish mage Joshel Lavellan who romanced the hell out of Dorian. So spoilers obviously. Just a little piece that came to mind with everything happened to Joshel at the end of Trespasser and with what Dorian is up to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interlude

Joshel Lavellan slipped through the streets of Minrathous, keeping his head down and largely staying in the shadows. He got few glances as he passed, partly due to the early hour but mostly because he was an elf and dressed in much the same way as many other elves in Tevinter. For once, Tevinter’s prevailing attitudes worked in his favour. Even the vallaslin on his face barely rated more than a blink. There were enough former Dalish among the slaves to make the vallaslin unremarkable.

He spoken to Dorian about the slavery and his lover had brought up the matter with Maevaris. There were no easy answers but Joshel had pointed out to both of them on his last visit that Solas would not look kindly on it. That had made Dorian thoughtful. Joshel knew that freeing the slaves would not be easy given Tevinter’s entire economy was built on slavery but it needed to be done. They could dismantle it carefully in ways that would not cause Tevinter’s economy to collapse and would provide the elves with help to assimilate as citizens or it would happen in far more violent and unpleasant ways, either through a slave rebellion, through Solas’ work or via the Qun.

He sighed and dismissed the thoughts from his mind. For once he wasn’t here on any sort of official business. Their search for Solas was stymied for the moment until Leliana’s agents could report back… and until Harding returned. That was likely to take at least another couple of months so Joshel had turned his head towards Tevinter and promised to return in six weeks.

He was eager to see his lover again and for more than just the obvious reasons. He slipped through the rear gate of Dorian’s home and gave a sigh of relief. He might be largely unremarked on the streets of Minrathous but only here was he really safe. He pulled off his cloak and then the gloves he was wearing. He looked down at the mechanical hand Dagna had constructed for him and smiled. A little surprise for Dorian. He’d mentioned in passing that Dagna had ideas but the dwarf had come through in ways even Joshel hadn’t imagined and he had some experience with Dagna’s work.

The door to the house opened and an elf – a servant, not a slave, Joshel had insisted on that – looked out. The young man’s eyes widened and then he bowed.

“Inquisitor!”

Joshel chuckled and walked over, handing the cloak and gloves to the elf. “Not Inquisitor anymore. Just Joshel.”

The elf blushed then bowed again. “My Lord Joshel… Lord Dorian is not yet awake.”

Joshel rolled his eyes at the honorific but didn’t argue with it. ‘My Lord’ was a better option than ‘Inquisitor’ given the Inquisition no longer existed.

“That’s alright. I’ll go wake him.” 

He grinned at the servant and laughed when the young elf blushed and giggled. He patted the elf on the shoulder and made his way through the house to Dorian’s bedroom. He let himself in and looked over at the bed with a smile.

Dorian was sprawled over a good half the bed, lying on his stomach with his face buried in a pillow. The thin sheet had slipped down as he slept and now barely covered his hips, revealing that Dorian was completely and deliciously naked. The tall bedroom windows stood open and the cool early morning breeze wafted through the thin curtains. Later it would turn hot but for now, it was positively pleasant.

Joshel quickly disrobed and climbed onto the bed. He settled next to Dorian and pressed a kiss to his lover’s bare shoulder, smiling fondly at the man’s dishevelled hair and moustache.

“Vhenan,” he said quietly.

Dorian murmured and shifted a little. Joshel chuckled and slowly pressed a line of kisses along Dorian’s shoulders. He ran the fingers of his right hand down the line of Dorian’s spine, enjoying the way the man arched into his touch even in his sleep.

“Amatus,” Dorian muttered, still more asleep than awake.

“I’m here,” Joshel replied then grinned as Dorian’s eyes shot open.

Dorian sat up abruptly and gathered him close. “ _Amatus_ ,” he said, his voice full of surprise and love then he made a disapproving noise. “Do you have _any_ idea how early it is?”

Joshel laughed and all but climbed into Dorian’s lap. “Far too early, I’m sure.”

Dorian captured his lips in a gentle kiss and Joshel leaned into it with a soft noise of happiness. He decided to blame the early hour and himself as a distraction for the length of time it took for Dorian to realise that hand that was now burying itself into his hair was Joshel’s _left_ hand.

“Joshel?” Dorian pulled back, ducking his head out from Joshel’s touch. His eyes widened when he saw the mechanical hand. “She did it.”

Joshel flexed the hand and grinned. “She did. It’s a mix of mechanical and magic and I have no idea how Dagna did it. She explained but I barely understood every third word.”

Dorian ran his fingers over Joshel’s new hand. It was a marvel and was not only usable but beautiful. “Does it matter?”

“No.” Joshel leaned into Dorian, enjoying his warmth and the unique scent of spices and orange that was _Dorian_ in his mind. “It works. That’s all that matters.”

Dorian continued to examine the hand even as he wrapped his other arm tightly around Joshel’s shoulders. He didn’t begrudge Solas for taking Joshel’s arm off from the mid-forearm down. His lover would have died, consumed by the anchor, if he hadn’t but Joshel had felt the lack of the hand on more than one occasion, especially when spellcasting. But Dagna had set herself to find a way to make a replacement almost from the moment she’d laid eyes on the Inquisitor after his return to the Winter Palace. She had certainly outdone herself this time.

“So you came all this way to show off your new accoutrement, hmm?” he said as he kissed Joshel’s cheek.

“That was _a_ reason,” Joshel replied with a smile. “But mostly I have some free time until Harding and Leliana’s people return. So here I am. You have me all to yourself for the next six weeks, vhenan.”

Dorian’s smile was blinding as he lowered Joshel to the bed. “Well then, Amatus, let us begin as we intend to continue.”


End file.
